The bride stands on her husband’s right and her bridesmaids are either grouped beyond her or else divided, half on her side and half on the side of the groom, forming a crescent with bride and groom in the center.

=USHERS AT THE HOUSE=

At a small wedding the duty of ushers is personally to take guests up to the bride and groom.  But at a big reception where guests outnumber ushers fifty or a hundred to one, being personally conducted is an honor accorded only to the very old, the very celebrated or the usher’s own best friends.  All the other guests stand in a long congested line by themselves.  The bride’s mother takes her place somewhere near the entrance of the room, and it is for her benefit that her own butler or one furnished by the caterer, asks each guest his name and then repeats it aloud.  The guests shake hands with the hostess, and making some polite remark about the “beautiful wedding” or “lovely bride,” continue in line to the bridal pair.

=WEDDING CONVERSATION=

What you should say in congratulating a bridal couple depends on how well you know one, or both of them.  But remember it is a breach of good manners to congratulate a bride on having secured a husband.

If you are unknown to both of them, and in a long queue, it is not even necessary to give your name.  You merely shake hands with the groom, say a formal word or two such as “Congratulations!”; shake hands with the bride, say “I wish you every happiness!” and pass on.

If you know them fairly well, you may say to him “I hope your good luck will stay with you always!” or “I certainly do congratulate you!” and to her “I hope your whole life will be one long happiness,” or, if you are much older than she, “You look too lovely, dear Mary, and I hope you will always be as radiant as you look to-day!” Or, if you are a woman and a relative or really close friend, you kiss the groom, saying, “All the luck in the world to you, dear Jim, she certainly is lovely!” Or, kissing the bride, “Mary, darling, every good wish in the world to you!”

To all the above, the groom and bride answer merely “Thank you.”

A man might say to the groom “Good luck to you, Jim, old man!” Or, “She is the most lovely thing I have ever seen!” And to her, “I hope you will have every happiness!” Or “I was just telling Jim how lucky I think he is!  I hope you will both be very happy!” Or, if a very close friend, also kissing the bride, “All the happiness you can think of isn’t as much as I wish you, Mary dear!” But it cannot be too much emphasized that promiscuous kissing among the guests is an offense against good taste.

To a relative, or old friend of the bride, but possibly a stranger to the groom, the bride always introduces her husband saying, “Jim, this is Aunt Kate!” Or, “Mrs. Neighbor, you know Jim, don’t you?” Or formally, “Mrs. Faraway, may I present my husband?”

The groom on the approach of an old friend of his, says, “Mary, this is cousin Carrie.”  Or, “Mrs. Denver, do you know Mary?” Or, “Hello, Steve, let me introduce you to my wife; Mary, this is Steve Michigan.”  Steve says “How do you do, Mrs. Smartlington!” And Mary says, “Of course, I have often heard Jim speak of you!”